CRDC Inaugural Newsletter
EDITION 01: 06/29/2026
Welcome to the Cross-Regional Democracy Collective!
A scholars’ network reimagining democracy across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East
Dear Colleagues,
We are thrilled to welcome you to the very first newsletter of the Cross-Regional Democracy Collective (CRDC)!
The CRDC is a recently launched network of scholars and thought leaders from across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The Collective’s mission is to contribute to studying and rethinking democracy through perspectives anchored in the Global South.
We recently gathered for a preliminary conversation to exchange insights on youth engagement in democracy, drawing on research from Africa, Latin America, and South Korea. While these contexts differ, we surfaced common themes threads—most notably, a shared frustration among youth regarding democracy’s failure to deliver tangible economic benefits, the rising appeal of non-democratic alternatives, and the role of social media and influencers in shaping political mobilization. To build on this momentum, our members are currently developing a pilot study to gather comparable cross-regional data across three countries to investigate these urgent themes.
Looking ahead, the Collective is also exploring several other areas of shared interest, including:
The interaction between traditional authorities and modern governance systems
The evolving role of universities in democratic spaces
The exploration of alternative models of democracy beyond Western liberal frameworks
CRDC Blog
A Coalition of the Willing: Reimagining Youth Democracy 50 Years After Soweto
By Moeketsi Koahela, Youth Representative (CRDC) & Democracy Works Foundation
“In South Africa, June 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the historic 1976 youth uprisings. Yet today, millions of young people find themselves locked out of economic opportunities and deeply disillusioned with the democratic promise. If those organizing alongside fascism and far-right ideas can mobilize, then surely those of us who believe in freedom can organize a counter-response.”
Latest Publications & Research
Demand for civic space holds strong across Africa as supply of freedoms wanes, Afrobarometer
Concerns about inequality and lack of integrity in the courts leave access to justice out of reach for many Africans, Afrobarometer
How Africans get their news is changing – how much they get might not be, Afrobarometer
Traditional Leaders in a Democracy, Mbongiseni Buthelezi, Dineo Skosana & Beth Vale
South Korea’s Approach to AI Governance for Democracy, Asia Democracy Research Network
South Korea’s Sovereign AI Initiative for Democracy: A Transferable Model for the Global Community, Asia Democracy Research Network
Women Environmental Defenders in Chile, Fundación Multitudes
Revival of Industrial Policy: Bringing the debate to MENA, Pathways Beyond Neoliberalism: Voices from the Middle East and North Africa
The State as “Despotic Leviathan” : Why is Understanding It Essential to Analyzing Inequality in the MENA Region? Santosh K. Mehrotra, Pathways Beyond Neoliberalism
Member Spotlight: New Book Release
STATE vs ALGORITHM? Digital Power, State Capture, and the Reclaim of Democracy By Matías Bianchi, Asuntos del Sur/Argentina
In this urgent text, Matías argues that modern democracy has been rendered powerless by "technofeudalism"—an alliance of digital monopolies and global financial elites that has emptied the nation-state of its power. Moving beyond mere diagnosis, the book offers a roadmap for democratic refounding, positioning the Global South as a vital laboratory for resistance and scaling statehood to protect the digital and social commons.
Webinars
Traditional Leadership Webinar, Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA)
What is Political Economy from the Global South, The Arab Political Science Network (APSN) and the Pathways beyond Neoliberalism Project at the American University in Cairo
CRDC Members
Amr Adly, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Joseph Asunka, Afrobarometer, Ghana
Matias Bianchi, Asuntos del Sur, Argentina
Luis Bilbao, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico
Sandra Borda, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
Mmeli Dube, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Ingy Higazy, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Patience Hwenha, Democracy Works Foundation, South Africa
Paulina Ibarra, Fundación Multitudes, Chile
Sook Jong Lee, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
Karuti Kanyinga, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Farida Nabourema, Katutu Civil Rights Center, Togo
Sanusha Naidu, Institute for Global Dialogue, South Africa
Silvia Remolina, Demoreset, Colombia
Camila Rocha, Centro paraImaginação Crítica, Brazil
Dineo Skosana, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Esther Solano, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
Ignacio Villagran, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bob Wekesa, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Get involved and shape the Collective!
As a growing community, we want to hear from you! Here is how you can help us build this collective:
Spread the word: Please share our website with your broader networks.
Grow our ranks: Help us invite scholars to join the network—we are especially eager to welcome voices from currently underrepresented countries and regions.
Share research: Let us know about great research, papers, or resources on these topics that we should have on our radar.
Collaborate: Reach out if you would like to contribute to our upcoming conversations or pen a piece for our blog.
Send us your thoughts: If you have any ideas, feedback, or suggestions, our inbox is always open.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We look forward to collaborating, learning, and growing together.